IKnight Radio

iKnight Radio is the third mixtape album by rapper and Flex Entertainment executive Payden McKnight, released on December 10, 2021, under Flex Entertainment. It contains guest appearances from J Coyn Drive, Tornado Siren, and Lil Mosquito Disease. It has a psychedelic radio aesthetic, hosted by his radio-host persona John Staples. The album includes the singles: "Ceiling Fan", "Loophole", "Bump This", and "Insanity."

Tracklisting

 * 1) "What!?"
 * 2) "Aladdin" (feat. J Coyn Drive)
 * 3) "Change / Drown"
 * 4) "Hold Me"
 * 5) "Bump This" (feat. Tornado Siren)
 * 6) "Loophole"
 * 7) "Piss Fumes"
 * 8) "Ceiling Fan"
 * 9) "Follow M3 / U2"
 * 10) "Insanity" (feat. J Coyn Drive & Lil Mosquito Disease)

Background
Payden announced he would release his third mixtape by the end of 2021. He began the rollout with the first single "Ghost Pepper Salad" on October 8, 2021. The theme of the rollout was that he would release a new single or music video every Friday at 7:00 PM PST. This run of singles would end on December 10 with the release of "iKnight Radio." "Breezy" and "One-Sided" got released on the 15th and 22nd. The three singles didn't end up making the official album but were included on the first extended play "101.2 (001-003)." "Ceiling Fan", "Raindrops and Butterflies", and "Loophole" were released on October 29th, November 5th, and November 12th. They all got complied on a second extended play "101.2 (004-006)." "Neighborhood", "Bump This" and "Insanity" were released on November 19th, November 26th, and December 3rd. They would get included on another extended play "101.2 (007-009)." The songs that actually ended up on the official mixtape were "Ceiling Fan", "Loophole", "Bump This", and "Insanity."

Singles
"Ceiling Fan" was released on October 29, 2021 as the lead single, along with a music video. It debuted at No. 24 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100. It reached the Top 20 at No. 17 on its third week. After the release of iKnight Radio, it would reach the Top 10 at No. 7, becoming his seventh Top 10 single. It would peak at No. 5. It has charted for eight weeks in total. It sent for radio adds for BMP on November 28, 2021. The song debuted on the Braeden's Most Played Songs chart at No. 14, his first entry on the chart. It leaped into the Top 10 at its peak of No. 8 following the release of iKnight Radio. It remained in the top ten for two weeks. It was certified Gold on January 9, 2022.

"Loophole" was released on November 12, 2021, as the mixtape's second single, along with a music video. It debuted and peaked at No. 11 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100.

"Bump This" with his friend Tornado Siren was released on November 27, 2021, as the third single. The music video was released the same day. It debuted and peaked at No. 7 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100. It became Payden's sixth Top 10 single. It was Tornado Siren's first chart entry.

"Insanity" was released on December 3, 2021, as the final single for the mixtape. It was the only single from the series of singles without a music video. It debuted at No. 43 on the Flex Entertainment Hot 100. It leaped to its peak of No. 12 the following week. It has charted for seven weeks. It sent for radio adds for BMP on January 23, 2022. The song debuted on the Braeden's Most Played Songs chart at No. 14, his second entry on the chart. It would rise to No. 12 the following week. It leaped into the top ten at No. 8, becoming Payden's second top ten single. It has since peaked at No. 5. This is Payden's first and Mosquito's third top five single.

Reception
"iKnight Radio" received positive reception from critics and fans alike, considered to be one of the best Flex Entertainment releases from 2021 and all time. Its concept was praised the most for its radio-like aesthetic that The Weeknd allegedly stole with "Dawn FM." The concept was said to be a massive improvement over his previous mixtape.

Chart performance
iKnight Radio debuted at number four on the Braeden's Most Played Albums chart with 200,000 units sold. It was his second top ten album. The following week, it moved up to a new peak of number two with 320,000 units sold in its first full tracking week. It lasted seven weeks in the top ten. It was certified Platinum by BMP. It was ranked as the ninty-second best-selling album on the BMP chart for 2021. It would later be ranked as the thirty-third best-selling album on the BMP chart for 2022